UW Department of Surgery - Medical Students

The surgery clerkship is a required component of medical student clinical education. Following enrollment in a surgery clerkship, students will receive a confirmation email from the department approximately six weeks prior to the beginning of the rotation with instructions for students to begin the onboarding tasks as required by their assigned site.

Students – Please select your course from the sidebar menu options for time-sensitive onboarding information and instructions.  It is extremely important to be diligent of the onboarding requirements and timelines for your site. Failure to complete site-specific onboarding tasks in a timely manner may prohibit your participation in your scheduled Surgery Clerkship and result in your clerkship being rescheduled.


A PHOTO ID BADGE IS REQUIRED AT ALL CLERKSHIP SITES.


General Orientation

Surgery clerkship students will be provided a pre-recorded orientation prior to the start of the rotation. Students will receive orientation details approximately two weeks prior to the start of the rotation and will be expected to review the recorded orientation information prior to reporting to their site on the first day. Students are encouraged  to connect with the Program Administrator should there questions following their individual review of the orientation information. In addition to the recorded general orientation, each site will have a site specific orientation on the first day.


Required Assignments

As a required component of the surgery clerkship, students will be responsible for completing the following assignments:

  • One Patient Write-up
  • Patient Case Log – Required Clinical Encounters
  • Review online lectures on required encounter topics
  • CEX assignment – Performing Pertinent Exam
  • CVC training module and quiz
  • Mid-clerkship Feedback form
  • Participation in Suture Skills Lab

These assignments are to be completed as a requirement of the clerkship. More detailed information regarding these assignments will be provided prior to the start of each rotation. Students will access assignment materials and submit completed assignments through Canvas. Students will have access to the applicable Surgery Canvas course section starting the Friday prior to the start of their rotation. The Canvas course section will close at 11:59 PM the Sunday following the completion of the clerkship. Students must upload all completed assignments prior to the close of the course.


Lectures

There are recorded lectures on common surgical issues available to students within Canvas. These are an available resource to expand knowledge of specific topics and gain a better understanding of less common cases. Additionally, each site may assign site-specific lectures for students to attend. The lecture schedule for students varies by site and is at the discretion of each site director.


Absences

Please familiarize yourself with the UW School of Medicine Clerkship Absentee Policy. There are specific policies for both anticipated healthcare absences and anticipated personal or academic absences.

Questions or concerns regarding your clerkship? Contact the Dept. of Surgery for assistance.


Student Health Related Information

The UWSOM supports students’ access to healthcare and strongly encourages them to obtain and maintain health insurance while enrolled at the UWSOM. The consolidated content on the links below has been created by collaboration between students and the UWSOM student affairs to ease of referencing for student related health information. All three sources will be updated centrally by student affairs and the Student Committee on Healthcare Access (SCoHA). If you have questions regarding the content, please reach out to adminsa@uw.edu.

Student Health Insurance

Healthcare Access for Medical Students

SOM-Telehealth Program for Medical Students